Varroc A-team who was the favourite to win the title at their home ground dropped five catches which helped openers Parakh and Rade of Sports Spark Academy to control the game.

One player who impressed all with his brilliant performance in the under-12 Varroc Cup in batting and balling format was captain of Sports Spark Academy -- Sahil Parakh. The tournament concluded at Varroc-Vengsarkar Cricket Academy in Thergaon on Thursday.

The Nashik based player visits Pune regularly to play cricket tournaments for various clubs.

“I was invited by the coach of Sports Spark Academy -- Shantanu Mache to play the tournament. He is also from Nashik. I enjoyed playing tournament here,” said Parakh.

The left-handed batsman and right arm left spin bowler was the most consistent player of the tournament with scoring 164 runs and taking 12 wickets in five matches.

Most of the players failed to read his bowling and his ability to take a wicket. Especially, in middle overs which helped his team to bowl out opponents on small targets.

In the first match, he took two wickets giving away just ten runs in his five overs which helped his team to bowl out Virag Cricket Academy for just 33 runs.

Coming as an opener, Parakh scored 10 runs in four balls.

In the third match, Parakh was once again on the top of his game taking two wickets giving away 20 runs to Friends Cricket Academy and scoring 40 runs and taking 10 wickets victory.

“League matches were very easy since most of the teams whom we face where less experience, so it was easy for us to beat them,” added Parakh.

In the semi-finals and final Parakh scored half-centuries each and three wickets in both the matches.

“Varroc Academy should have won the match but dropping five catches let them down. They dropped the catch of our opener Ritvik Rade very early in the innings and from that moment we never looked back,” said Parakh.

In all the matches, Sports Spark Academy rode high on performance of their openers while the rest of the batsman hardly had a role to play.

“Our other batsmen were usually defensive players and a couple of them were also not in the form so batting was completely dependent on us (me and Ritvik) as the openers,” added Parakh.

The all-around performance helped Parakh to earn man of the series tournament title.